Recorded in town at the fabled House of David studio, Cooper enlisted the celebrated pedal steel guitarist Lloyd Green to co-produce and play a prominent role in the sound - a duet between voice, song and pedal steel. Other guests include Jason Ringenberg, Bill Lloyd, Jen Gunderman, Dave Roe, Pat McInerney, Paul Griffith, Nanci Griffith and label-mate Fayssoux.

Mission Door is a surprising first time collection from a songwriter who has spent the better part of his adult life writing about his musical heroes as a journalist (The Tennessean, No Depression, Esquire) and is now creating music revealing the lessons he has learned from the masters. John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Tom T. Hall, Eric Taylor: these are the voices that have contoured Cooper's inner landscape. He writes of the pains and joys of life with sympathy and a brutal honesty.

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Cooper became enthralled with songwriting at the early age of 5 when he first heard Kris Kristofferson. The experience kicked off a lifelong love of songwriters who manage emotional literacy without seeming duly literary. Folks like Bobby Bare, Bob Dylan, Mickey Newbury, Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark and Eric Taylor. But it was songwriter Todd Snider who pushed Cooper to record his first batch of songs. The Cooper-Snider co-write 'Thin Wild Mercury' was named one of USA Today's 'Songs of the Week', as well as MOJO Magazine's 'Songs of the Month'. Cooper also produced Snider's Peace, Love and Anarchy album.

On stage they create an enchanting atmosphere, using traditional folk instruments, electric guitar and the distinctive singing and songwriting of Joziah Longo. Citing influences as diverse as Hank Williams, Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band and early Pink Floyd, Longo describes the band's music as "punk-classical-hillbilly-Floyd", a mental roller coaster of whimsical, thought-provoking songs.

Austin producersongwriter Gurf Morlix said of mercy "It's the best writing I've come across since Mary Gauthier." The UK's Maverick Magazine awarded mercy five stars and writers that have discovered this raw talent often compare him to fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

A lot can happen in a few years and Baker can tell you that a lot can happen in seconds. Back in 1986, he was traveling in a train through Peru, when the car he was in was blown apart by a terrorist bomb, killing fellow passengers and leaving him clinging to life. Deafened and gravely injured, Baker spent the better part of the next decade working on both a physical and spiritual recovery. It was through storytelling and the art of songwriting that Baker turned to make sense of a sometimes senseless world.

Fayssoux's voice was an integral element on some of country music's finest recordings. She sang duet and harmony vocals on many of Emmylou Harris' most celebrated songs, including 'Green Rolling Hills', 'Spanish Is A Loving Tongue', 'Bluebird Wine', 'Too Far Gone' and most recently, the Grammy-winning 'The Connection'. In the early seventies she and her then husband, John Starling, hosted at their Washington, DC-area home some of the most exciting and happening musicians at the time. It was in their living room where Rodney Crowell first met Harris.

She later retired from performing and moved to South Carolina. It was here in 1996, when Cooper was a middle school teacher in the Spartanburg area and working on a book on South Carolina musicians, he discovered Fayssoux. Familiar with her work from the liner notes of some of his favorite albums, he encouraged her to return to performing and result is the very special Early.

Highly regarded behind the scenes as songsmiths and session players with innumerable­ hits, cuts and licks to their credits this batch of seasoned pros has performed to sold out­ crowds from nearly their inception almost two years ago. While offering new takes on classic themes of redemption and loss, hope and home their songs are equally informed by the mountain sound of Ralph Stanley and the rhythm and blues of Ray Charles.

Recording all original material, The SteelDrivers' collision of back-country high lonesome and Delta soul is one of the most refreshing sounds to emerge on the acoustic scene in a long time. With no hype, just incredible talent, these five musicians have already established a name for themselves in a town that barely looks twice at a bunch of folks holding acoustic instruments. Stretching the boundaries of the typical bluegrass band, the dynamic rock/blues/soul vocals of Chris Stapleton (songs recorded by Josh Turner, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney) put the high lonesome bluegrass sounds smack dab in the middle of town. Nashville Bluegrass Band's Roland White says the band is The most exciting band to appear" on the scene in a long, long time! ."

Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season is this very special AIX Collector's Edition from one of our most beloved and talented contemporary singer/songwriters John Gorka.

Comprised of two discs, deluxe packaging and hours of newly recorded HD Audio/Video, producer and label AIX Records has created the perfect product for the dedicated music enthusiast and John Gorka fan. This collection contains a two-hour "PBS style" documentary, live concert footage from the famed McCabe's folk club, rehearsals and interviews, a complete discography, interactive features and a one of a kind personal house concert experience - it's a fan's complete scrapbook of John's distinguished career since his emergence in the Fast Folk Movement of the late eighties. I've been involved off and on with John's career since his 1992 release Temporary Road and I can say without hesitation that this is the first time I've heard a recording that captures the depth and resonance of John's unmistakable baritone and his melodic sensibilities.

Music industry exec and former president of Capitol Records Hale Milgram says, "I love this new John Gorka DVD set. If you like to sit front row center you can't buy a more intimate experience with better sound than "The Gypsy Life". This is one of my favorite DVDs. I can't wait to turn my friends on to it!"

For the past decade, Kimbrough has been one of Nashville's most in demand rock and roots sideman (incl. Rodney Crowell, Matthew Ryan, Josh Rouse) and producers (Adrienne Young, Todd Snider) - even winning him the 2004 Instrumentalist of the Year honor from the Americana Music Association. He's nominated again this year in the Instrumentalist of the Year category.

It's his gift for melody and song craft that has cultivated such a devoted following amongst pop music lovers. With last year's /Americanitis/, Kimbrough's talents as a songwriter and social observer were on par with any other rock 'n roller's perceptions about the state of our union. A politically charged broadside to the madness of our post-9/11 world.

Recorded at home, the new /EP/ is a more intimate work. Essentially a folk record, the new collection includes Eastern-flavored blues romps, an old time prison waltz, love ballads, a working man's anthem, a woozy travelogue and a spiritual thrown in for good measure. Not only does /EP /showcase Kimbrough's talents as a multi-instrumentalist on slide, flattop guitar and banjo, but also his warm vocals and literate songwriting.